PC Security – Quick Maintenance Tips and Advice
So, we’ve established what you need for security, and what to look out for on the internet. Now let’s look at some regular things you can do to make sure everything stays running smooth and you don’t open yourself up to harmful programs.
First, keep your ‘temp’ files cleaned up. There are options in internet explorer, as well as many internet browsers, like Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Netscape Navigator, that allow you to delete temporary internet files and cookies. Do that regularly, preferably weekly if you browse the internet often. This is not only going to help make sure viruses and other bad programs aren’t sitting on your computer, but it helps keep things speedy. One easy way to do this is to run Windows Disk Clean-up regularly. It can usually be found in the start menu, under accessories > system tools. This is just good regular maintenance to run, and if you keep up on it, it is usually done within a few minutes or less. Just like laundry, if you fall behind on it, it’s going to take you longer to get it all done. Look for the blog by Denis Lueders called ‘Computer Maintenance’ for other ways to keep things running fast.
Second, keep your security programs up to date. They will all need to update, so make sure they have the most recent. Somewhere in the program, it will tell you the date of the last update. Also, if you paid for it, it’s probably a subscription service. Make sure to keep your subscription active. Trust me, when you have to pay for it, the program will hound you about renewing the subscription. I’ve told you in the past I see more people get viruses from looking for anti-virus programs on the internet; however, the second-most common occurrence is people having an expired subscription which is not protecting them, thus letting anything and everything into their computer. I recommend if you can, buy a 3 year or longer subscription so you won’t have to worry about it for a while, but remember that in 3 years, you need to renew.
Finally, be choosy about what you open. Whether it’s websites, attachments in your emails, or downloaded programs/music. Make sure you scan with your anti-virus before opening this stuff. Many times, the person sending something to you may be trustworthy, but what goes with their email isn’t. As a general rule, if it looks suspicious, it’s probably not something you want to open. Also, if there’s a link to something that’s free, or sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Stay away from the flashy ads from places you don’t recognize; a ‘free laptop’ ad is probably a Pandora’s Box! Be cautious. I know, you want to be wild and free to click until your heart’s content, but you wouldn’t run across a highway without looking for traffic first would you? Think of it like that. There are always things buzzing by on the internet, so as long as you keep your eye out, you’ll be just fine.
By: Josh Gravedoni
-Computer Service Technician, A+ Certified
-Asst Store Manager
-Dakota PC Warehouse
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